| Though
summer is great for suntans and pool parties, hot, dry weather
also ushers in a dramatic upturn in fire dangers. As weeds
and vegetation become parched with thirst, they turn into
ideal fuel for fires. A lightning strike, a carelessly tossed
cigarette, or an ember from a fire elsewhere may ignite a
blaze that can destroy an entire neighborhood.
If you've watched a newscast of a fire raging
through a neighborhood, you've probably noticed that some
houses burn to the ground while others are spared. Why is
that? In some cases it's because a fire hydrant is nearby
or the wind blows a certain direction, but in others it's
because the standing home's family prepared properly.
There is no better time than now to make your
home fire safe and to develop a plan of action for your family
to follow if a fire does occur.
1) Reduce nature's fuel.
Without fuel, a fire won't burn. So look
around your house for potential sources of fuel and reduce
them. Trees and plants that have a lot of dry foliage are
particularly hazardous: Acacia, Cedar, Cypress, Eucalyptus,
Juniper, Pampas Grass, and Pine to name a few.
Keep them well pruned and avoid growing them
in clusters. Remove all flammable vegetation within 30 feet
of a house or other structure as well as piles of leaves or
grass. In fact, it's smart to thin or remove flammable vegetation
to within 100 feet of structures. With tall trees, prune off
branches lower than 6 feet from the ground.
2) Move other fuel sources.
Don't stack firewood next to your house;
stack it at least 30 feet from structures. Also avoid placing
lumber piles and other construction materials near your home.
Locate fixed butane/propane tanks at least 10 feet away from
structures or flammable vegetation.
3) Prepare your house.
When it's time to make choices about new
roofing and siding materials, choose fire-resistant building
materials such as asphalt-fiberglass or masonry roofing, particularly
if you live in a fire-prone area. Unless properly treated
with fire retardant, wood shingles and shakes are a clear
invitation to disaster and outlawed in many communities.
Clean leaves and debris from rain gutters
and trim off dead branches that overhang your roof, chimney,
and power lines. Be sure your chimney is equipped with a spark
arrestor.
Wood decks can also be problematic because
they offer a source of fuel with plenty of air circulation,
which makes them burn all the better. Be sure to keep dry
vegetation and trees trimmed away from decks. Also beware
of where you position a barbecue--don't put it on a wood deck,
beneath a patio overhead, or near flammable vegetation.
4) Prepare your family.
Though the possibility of a fire in or around
your home can be a scary thought, developing strategies for
your family to follow in the event of a fire emergency isn't
just smart--it's critical. Fire is one of the most immediately
devastating home disasters. Begin by taking these steps:
* Develop an escape plan and practice it with
a family drill. Everyone should know how to get out of the
house and where to assemble safely outdoors. Establish who
will be responsible for small children or the elderly or handicapped.
* Be sure each room has at least two exits
that can serve as safe escapes. If one of these is an upper-story
window, provide a hook-on fire escape ladder (available at
home improvement centers). Be sure that even children know
how to attach and climb down these ladders, and keep the ladder
in an easily accessed place. (Of course, be sure they are
not used unless there is a fire.)
* Check smoke detectors periodically to be
sure they're working properly. Fire departments recommend
changing batteries twice a year--when you change your clocks
to and from daylight savings time.
* Be sure your house numbers can be easily
seen at night from the street.
5) Act quickly.
In the event of a house fire, quickly get
everyone outside and assembled at a pre-arranged meeting place;
designate one person to call 911 or the fire department from
a neighbor's home or cellular phone. Once outside, never go
back into a burning building.
* Evacuate the house quickly and calmly.
* Feel interior doors before opening them--if
a door is hot, do not open it. Leave doors and windows closed
unless you must open them to get out.
* Stay low to the floor, on your hands and
knees, where the cleanest, most breathable air is. (Smoke
inhalation is the most common cause of fire fatalities.)
Safe Electrical Practices
Minimize outlet extenders or plug-in power bars; these can
overload an electrical circuit.
* Repair or replace worn, frayed, or broken
electrical cords.
* Use only extension cords that match (or
have a larger capacity than) the wattage of the appliances
that you plug into them.
* Make sure receptacles and appliances are
properly grounded.
* Check the maximum size of bulb allowable
for lighting fixtures and don't exceed the maximum wattage.
Be especially careful not to use improperly sized bulbs in
recessed light fixtures because of heat buildup.
* Never replace a blown fuse with an improperly
sized substitute.
* Keep two fire extinguishers in your home,
one in the kitchen area or service porch and one in the garage,
located in clear view, near the exit. Fire extinguishers are
coded according to the types of fires they can extinguish.
An "A-B-C" multipurpose extinguisher puts out all
common types of fires. Be sure your extinguishers are large
enough to handle home fires.
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